1. Field
This application relates generally to the field of roof mounted alternative energy system and more particularly to an integrated roof panel incorporating combinable skylight, ventilation, solar hot water, solar photovoltaic electrical power generation and high efficiency lighting.
2. Related Art
Solar hot water systems currently in use employ working fluid tubing and solar collectors supported on or by the sun-facing side of a pitched roof or a inclined support structure mounted on a flat roof. Such systems are unitary in function using collection of solar radiation to heat water for residential, commercial and industrial hot water requirements. Solar photovoltaic systems using arrays of photovoltaic cells are mounted on roof systems in a similar manner. In many homes and industrial buildings, skylights are employed for passive lighting. Each of these system types are employed to displace or reduce the need to use externally generated power for the desired application thereby saving electricity or fossil fuels normally used to produce that power. Typically, surface area used for one application prevents use for a second application and achieving an efficient structural and operational layout with multiple system types, both in original installation and retrofit applications, is unduly cumbersome and expensive.
It is therefore desirable to provide an integrated roofing system which allows interchangeable components with multiple functional capabilities.